


Waiting for Bigfoot

by AnnabethTheUnicorn



Category: Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: Camping, Dipper can't cook, M/M, Stargazing, paranormal investigations that turn into cuddle sessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 05:25:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4594524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnabethTheUnicorn/pseuds/AnnabethTheUnicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The recent sightings all happened around here,” Dipper explained, indicating a point on the map that he had circled with red pen. “Three different civilian sources in the last two weeks have reported huge footprints, tufts of fur, one of them even spotted what they described as ‘a huge, hairy homeless person, at least eight feet tall.’”</p>
<p>Norman was not immediately won over. “So you want us to spend our three-day weekend…” He bit back a sigh. “Hunting for Bigfoot?”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>In which Dipper won’t stay on the goddamn path and Norman is having none of his shit. (That’s a lie, Norman would do anything for him when Dipper gives him the eyes.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting for Bigfoot

**Author's Note:**

> Gift to panskeletonual on tumblr

“The recent sightings all happened around here,” Dipper explained, indicating a point on the map that he had circled with red pen. “Three different civilian sources in the last two weeks have reported huge footprints, tufts of fur, one of them even spotted what they described as ‘a huge, hairy homeless person, at least eight feet tall.’”

Norman was not immediately won over. “So you want us to spend our three-day weekend…” He bit back a sigh. “Hunting for Bigfoot?”

“Sasquatch. Sasquatches if you wanna get technical. They’re a whole species, not a single entity.”

“Big Foots? Big Feet?”

“Norman,” He whined. “How can you, of all people, be so skeptical all the time? It’s not like we’ve never seen one before.”

“We saw one in Oregon. Four years ago. Besides,” Norman looked over the map, “This seems like a pretty long trip…”

“It’s a two-day hike from the entrance to here, and after that we’re just about an hour from the shore, where we can catch the bus back to Long Island,” Dipper said, as if he was describing a stroll through the park. Norman made a groaning noise in the back of his throat, unconvinced. “Where,” Dipper continued, “we can catch that new zombie movie.” His voice was alluring and far more convincing than it should’ve been, considering Norman knew exactly what he was doing.

And when Dipper took Norman’s hands - Dipper’s own hands shaking with excitement - and looked in his eyes - Norman could see them light up like they always did when he was making plans - there wasn’t exactly a way for Norman to say “no.” Dipper was far too cute to disappoint. But still...

“I’ll buy you movie theater candy?”

“What time do we leave?”

****  
  


The trip began, like so many classic backpacking trips and so many classic horror movies. Two college-age kids, hiking through the woods with camping supplies and too many cameras. Seriously, a stupid amount of cameras.

“Hey man. You can never have too many cameras.” Dipper argued, putting the map in his back pocket and leading the way through a particularly narrow section of the path. He spotted something a little more than a few strides away from the path and grabbed Norman’s hand before venturing off.

Ignoring his boyfriend's usual noises or disapproval and “we’re supposed to stay on the path, Dipper, there are a bunch of signs about it,” he came to a clearing, flanked by a large boulder and the entrance to what looked like a cave. Off to one side, there was a particularly large footprint in the mud.

“Check this out!” Dipper pulled the disposable camera out of his hat and snapped a picture of the print, the flash illuminating not just the print, but also a portion of the dark cave. It was deeper than he thought. He moved to the other side of the print to capture a different angle. “Do you think these could be Sasquatch tracks?”

“Uh, nope.”

“Come on, why not?” Dipper asked without looking up.

“Because they’re bear tracks.” Norman replied with the utmost certainty.

“What? How can you be so sure?” The older boy looked up at him. Norman’s eyes were blown wide and he was standing very still, tense; he raised his arm and pointed to the mouth of the cave.

“Because it’s right behind you and we should run.”

No sooner did Dipper turn around that the large Black Bear, which had made its way to the mouth of the cave, let out a huge, thundering roar. He dropped the camera and it shattered against a rock. He ran at Norman and grabbed his arm, sprinting back to the path.

“I-!”

“Yeah, yeah, you hate to say ‘I told you so,’ you were right and I’m sorry!”

“Actually, I was gonna say ‘I think we should stay on the path from now on.’”

“That too.” Dipper whined.

****  
  


A few hours and one lunch break after escaping the bear and getting back on the trail, the boys came across a sign to the left of the path.

“‘Warning,’” Dipper read aloud. “‘Falls from cliff have resulted in injury. Stay back from cliff edges, observe warning signs,’ blah blah blah… Probably supposed to walk single-file or something.”

Norman was not reassured by ‘blah blah blah.’ “If we die,” He deadpanned, “I’m not helping your ghost move on.”

Dipper just smiled mischievously and wrapped his arms around Norman’s waist to peck him on the cheek. “We won’t die. I’ll protect you from the scary rocks.”

“Oh, shut up.” Norman pushed him away, but he was smiling.”

Dipper loved that smile.

“We should probably start looking for that first campsite. It can’t be much farther, can it?” The older boy patted his pockets, searching. “Did… Did I hand you the map at some point?”

Norman raised an eyebrow and came to a stop and Dipper slung his pack off his shoulder and started rummaging through it. “Uh, no? It was in your pocket, wasn’t it?”

“I thought so, but…” Dipper looked up from his pack, suddenly worried. “Uh oh.”

“Uh oh?”

“I… may have dropped a few other cameras… and the map in front of the bear cave.”

For a moment neither of them spoke. Norman just sorta stared at him with an unreadable expression while Dipper stood sheepishly, waiting for his boyfriend’s reaction.

The snort caught him off guard.

But before Dipper was fully over his shock, Norman was chuckling into his hand, partially doubled-over with how funny he seemed to find this situation. “Oh my god.”

Dippers confusion turned into annoyance. “What about this, exactly, do you find so funny?”

“No-othing!” Norman said through another bout of laughter. “It… It’s just so us.”

“What?” Dipper forgot to be annoyed.

“This.” Norman said, gesturing around. Well, Dipper thought, at least he wasn’t mad. “This whole situation is just. So. Us. Watch, we’re gonna get lost and end up accidentally, I don’t know, confirming the existence of the illuminati. Before bed we’ll have to exorcise a demon from a hot dog, and then tomorrow we’ll find, like, fifteen Big Foots. Big Feet?”

“Sasquatch.” Dipper couldn’t keep the smile off his own face, not when Norman laughed like that.

“Whatever.” Norman handed Dipper his pack from the ground and hoisted his own higher up on his back, still laughing. “Since you lost the map, you have to make dinner tonight.”

Dipper followed him along the path, smiling uncontrollably, mesmerized by the way Norman’s thin shoulders shook with laughter, and how the light made parts of his hair look almost copper-colored at the right angle. “Okay, but you know how bad I am at cooking.”

“Oh, I know, believe me.” Norman said with his usual snark.

Dipper caught up with a few long strides and walked beside him, still watching as those gorgeous blue eyes searched the trees for any signs of the campsite. Or maybe for ghosts? He never did know what was going on in Norman’s mind. That was part of the magic, though. The one mystery he would try to solve for the rest of his life, or for as long as Norman let him.

Then those eyes turned toward him and it was like a sunrise.

Then those eyes widened in fear and Dipper tuned back in just long enough to hear Norman shout his name before the rock went sliding out from under his foot and Dipper fell.

And kept falling.

****  
  


Norman was a mess the second Dipper fell down the cliff. He threw his bag to the side and pressed himself to the ground, looking over the ledge, not that there was much to see. Plants and rocks and ridges blocked his view of anything, and panic was not helping him see straight.

“Dipper! Are you-?!” He tried to take a deep breath. Failed. “Are you okay? Wh-what happened!”

For about three seconds, there was no answer. They were the longest three seconds of his life.

“Uh, Yup!” Norman could have died with the relief that flooded him in that moment. “I’m okay! A little scratched up, but fine! I caught on a… ridge… thing?”

That was descriptive. “Okay. Can… Can you climb up? Is it safe?”

“Uh… Probably!”

That was reassuring. “Stay there! I’ll- I’ll figure something out.” He said the last part mostly to himself.

Norman pushed himself away from the ledge and opened his pack, looking for anything that could help him… Do what? Climb down? Bring Dipper up? He didn’t know. Until he found the rope.

They’d brought the rope and a trash bag to tie up anything scented in a tree, to keep it safe from raccoons. But it looked pretty long…

He tied one end to a nearby tree and the other around his waist.

“Norman?” Dipper called up. “What’s going on? Keep me in the loop here.”

“Found a rope! I’m gonna come get you-”

“Um, no!? You’re not! Just throw the rope down!” Dipper sounded agitated, but Dipper also fell down a cliff and scared Norman half to death, so the younger boy didn’t feel all that bad for making Dipper worry.  

“There are too many plants in the way, I don’t know where you are. Just hang tight, I’ll be there in a second and you can climb up the rope.”

“I’m not gonna let you put yourself in danger for-”

“I’m sorry!” Norman said, not sorry. “Which of us fell down a cliff again?” He approached the edge, holding the taut end of the rope tightly as he started to descend.

“...It wasn’t my fault.” Dipper sounded like a kid who’d been caught breaking a light bulb.

“No?” Norman was more focused on placing his feet at this point than he was on the conversation.

“No. You were being distracting.”

“...No?” Norman moved lower to where he could hear Dippers voice. It couldn’t be much farther…

“Yes! You were. You were being adorable!”

Norman stumbled, surprised, and the rock crumbled under his foot. He let out a yelp as the rope slipped from his fingers and for one moment he was in free-fall. Then a familiar pair of arms wrapped around his waist at he opened his eyes to Dippers terrified face. He chanced a look over his shoulder and saw that those arms were the only thing between him and what was at least a 20 foot drop. Dipper pulled him close and he found his footing on the ledge where they stood. For a moment Norman was certain Dipper was gonna scold him about being careful or something, but then his look softened and he pulled them even closer together.

“I promised I’d protect you, remember?”

****  
  


They made it back up the cliff relatively unscathed and even managed to carry up Dipper’s pack, which contained all the food they had for the next few days. (Though Dipper did lose two more cameras in the process, and mourned greatly.) Eventually, the two gave up on finding the campsite and just chose a respectable-looking clearing in the woods to pitch their tent and start a small fire on which Dipper attempted to cook dinner.

“You know that putting the hot dog in the flame doesn’t make it cook faster, right?” Norman snarked. “It just makes it on fire.”

“There’s gotta be some kind of technique to this.” Dipper insisted. “Am I holding it wrong? Is the fire too big?”

“Oh yeah. I’m sure it’s the fire’s fault.”

Dipper shot him a glare. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

That shut Norman up pretty quickly. Dipper always did love the way the pink of his blush complemented the blue of his eyes.

After a few more failed attempts Dipper gave up, declaring, for what must have been the millionth time, that cooking was stupid and not worth his time. Norman just laughed and helped him boil some water for spaghetti.

Before going to the tent to catch some sleep, they decided to venture a bit from their tent and find a spot to watch the stars. It wasn’t long before they came to a hill with surprisingly soft grass. They lay side by side in front of the sky and the universe.

For a while they just stared up in comfortable silence, hands clasped.

“I think that's Cassiopeia.” Dipper commented eventually, pointing up at a group of stars that formed a W. “The stars are so clear out here. I’m so used to the city sky.”

“Yeah, well.” Norman smiled. “I can always find my favorite constellation.”

“No.”

“Doesn’t matter what kind of sky.”

“Stop.”

“Because it’s always…” He leaned in.

“Don’t.” But Dipper was smiling, too.

“Right here.” He finished, pushing his cap out of the way and pressing a kiss to Dipper’s forehead.

When he pulled back their faces were so close that Norman could see the flecks of gold in Dipper’s eyes, even in the low light of the moon. Dipper closed the distance and pressed their lips together for a few glowing moments. “Even if we don’t find a Sasquatch, I’m glad we did this. I kinda like having you all to myself.”

Norman just looked at him. “You always have me all to yourself.”

“No, I know.” Dipper shrugged. “But this is different. You know?”

Norman smiled and pecked his lips once more. “Yeah, I know.”

Dipper pulled him to his chest, and they lay there tangled together until both of them dozed off, tent long forgotten.

****  
  


When Norman blinked himself awake very early - too early - the next morning, all covered in dew, he noticed something he hadn’t noticed the night before. In the morning light, the hill on which they lay dipped low just in front of them, forming a deep canyon. A river meandered through, with trees and vegetation covering every inch. It was such a gorgeous sight that he almost missed the most interesting part of it.

Walking through that canyon, no more than thirty feet away was… a family of very big, hairy homeless people? Norman rubbed at his eyes. Then he froze and sat up completely.

“Dipper.” He shook Dipper’s shoulder, not taking his eyes off the large group of creatures making their way through the canyon in the early morning light. “Wake up.”

“Normaaan.” Dipper sighed, pulling him down against his chest again. “Go back to sleep.”

“No, seriously!” Norman sat up, eyes still locked on the canyon, dragging Dipper up with him. “You… You’re gonna wanna see this.”

Dipper groaned and rubbed his eyes. “It’s way too early. This better not be the goddamn sunrise or…” He looked up at Norman’s insistent shaking of his arm. “Something… Is… Is that?” He blanched. “Are those?!”

Norman nodded. “Big Foots.”

“Big Feet.” Dipper replied.

“Sasquatch.” they said in unison.

“Sasquatches?” Norman mumbled.

“Oh my god.” Dipper continued to stare, unhearing. “There are so many of them.”

Norman shut one eye and pointed at them one-by-one, counting under his breath. “...Twelve… Thirteen… Fourteen of them. Darn, I was so close.”

Dipper pointed to a small one in the back. “Did you count baby Big Foot?”

Norman smiled. “Fifteen. Nice!”

Dipper took his hand and Norman leaned his head into Dipper’s shoulder. “They’re kind of… Majestic. Almost.”

“Yeah.” Norman agreed. “Like a woolly mammoth or something. Hey, don’t you want a picture of this?”

“Oh.” Dipper Jumped up. “Oh! Yeah, oh my god, where’s the-?” He ran towards the campsite lightning-fast and dug through the tent, the bags, his pockets. Before returning solemnly, empty-handed.

“Really?” Norman was surprised. “Didn’t you have-”

“Yes.” Dipper said in a sigh, plopping himself back down and pulling Norman close again so they could both watch the exodus of the Sasquatch(es?). “But I guess somehow we lost them all.”

Norman shrugged, leaning into him. “It’s okay, Dip. Nobody would believe us anyway.”

They sat there in the barely-there glow of the day, watching the unbelievable creatures make their way across the valley. Watching until the two Sasquatches who were leading the pack took a turn under some foliage and into a cave, and the Big Foots (Feet?) disappeared from view.

****  
  



End file.
